Enda Kenny
Question:108 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when suckler grant will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.
Written Answers. - Grant Payments.
The application of the person named for grants under the 1993 suckler cow premium scheme is being processed at present and any payment due will be made within the next week.
Enda Kenny
Question:109 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when an application for extra sheep quota from a person (details supplied) will be dealt with.
The person named applied for quota from the national reserve under the category which provides for reserve quota to be allocated to producers who were paid premium on a lower number of ewes than normal in 1991 because of exceptional circumstances. As the person named was paid ewe premium for the first time in 1991 he has no previous ewe premium history and does not, therefore, qualify for an allocation of quota from the reserve under this category.
Michael Finucane
Question:110 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry when 1993 cow suckler grants will be paid in view of the fact that payment has been held up within his Department for some time because of confusion over herd numbers; if he will sanction these payments in view of the financial hardship that has been caused; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Some £45 million has been paid to date under the June 1993 suckler cow premium scheme. Payments are continuing and all non-problem cases should be paid within the next five-six weeks.
The Deputy mentioned confusion over herd numbers as a factor causing delay in these payments. If he is aware of a specific problem concerning herd numbers, I would ask him to let me know exactly what that problem is. If he does so, I will ask my Department to look into it and resolve it as a matter of urgency.